Running from F/town to Gabs for you
Thalefang Charles | Friday July 31, 2015 11:48
It is lunchtime in Gaborone. The Y-Care Charitable Trust Chairman Modise Koofhethile walks into the organisation’s boardroom. He is fresh from his day job at Botswana Oil, where he is the new General Manager Corporate Strategy and Business Planning.
He carries coffee table books about himself and a medals hanger. The hanger features 20 marathon medals and the words, ‘My Medals, My Story’ boldly carved on top.
He apologises for being late before he sits down to share his story. The shining medals make sweet attention-grabbing clinking sounds and that is where he begins his story. Modise has collected 20 medals since 2012 but amazingly almost half of them were won in 2015 as part of his training for his “biggest running challenge since the Comrades.”
Koofhethile (47) caught the running bug in 2012 after participating in the Steinmetz (now Diacore) Gaborone Marathon where he finished in a time of 4 hours 46 minutes.
“After the Gaborone Marathon I developed a deeper passion for running and constantly challenged myself by running different races in Botswana and South Africa, including the Lady Khama Charitable Trust Half Marathon, Deloitte Marathon, Soweto Marathon, RAC 32km Tough One and Ottosdal Night Marathon,” he says.
He then challenged his body and mind with the ultra marathons.
“My biggest running challenges that I completed and am very proud of are the globally renowned Ultra Marathons in South Africa, the Two Ocean Marathon (56km) and the Comrades Marathon (87 & 89km), which I ran for two consecutive years starting in 2013.”
The ‘wild’ idea of running from Francistown to Gaborone came to Koofhethile in 2014 while he was taking part in the world famous Comrades Marathon.
“I shared this crazy idea with a colleague and he pledged R20,000 for the charities that would benefit from the run,” he explains.
Ever since the fateful conversation, Koofhethile has been rigorously training for this ultimate endurance run and has run eight marathons this year as part of the intense training.
He lost over 34kg of his weight over the years and had to take all his clothes to the tailors for alteration in order to fit his new lean body.
“Even though I have never run ultra marathons for seven consecutive days, I feel I am ready. I am not too sure whether my body will take it but, mentally I am ready.”
Koofhethile is putting his body in line for a good cause. The main objective of the run is to raise funds towards diabetes support and raising awareness.
Other charities supported through Y Care Charitable Trust, especially youth in sports and culture across the country, will also benefit.
The marathoner’s choice of diabetes is both personal and professional. Koofhethile’s mother was diagnosed with the ailment and he later discovered that the illness was a silent scourge in Botswana.
According to his research, Botswana recorded 30,600 cases of diabetes in 2014 and it is estimated that 14,100 cases in adults are undiagnosed.
He also discovered that out of a total of about 1,127 million adults in Botswana, 1,118 deaths in 2014 were the result of diabetes complications.
With the run, Koofhethile is targeting to raise at least P500,000 towards combating the disease.
“This is an appeal and challenge to you and organisations to sponsor and or donate funds for this project. All net proceeds will be made to Y-Care Charitable Trust, which will distribute the proceeds to the Diabetes Association of Botswana (DAB) and other designated Y-Care charities,” reads Koofhethile’s
sponsorship request.
Koofhethile and the DAB will run a campaign to educate people about the disease during the run. People will be tutored on the importance of testing and will also receive advice on how to deal with diabetes.
The Y-Care Trust chairman will also promote the importance of living an active and healthy lifestyle to youth residing in several village communities located along his run.
The Diabetes and Y Care Trust support teams will set up diabetes information pit stops in Francistown, Tonota, Serule, Palapye, Mahalapye, Dibete, Rasesa and Gaborone.
Koofhethile hopes that the message from the awareness camps will encourage children to stay in school and play sports regularly as part of leading an active and healthy lifestyle.
But there is a broader vision for the run. Koofhethile envisions an annual corporate marathon that could grow to international standards and lure endurance runners from around the world to come and participate.
“This is the foundation for a planned Annual Corporate Relay Marathon, which will encourage all corporate employees to participate in the future,” he reveals.
“The idea is for corporates to form teams of five runners, who will participate in a 50km ultra marathon race.
“Each member will run an average of 10km per leg. This will create and encourage team work/spirit amongst the team and the corporations. It will ultimately build network or bonds across organisations.”
If you would like to contribute, donations/payment can be made via cheque/EFT to Y Care Charitable Trust’s Account.
Bank: Barclays Bank Botswana
Account Name: Y Care Chairman’s
Challenge
Account No: 1467415
Branch code: 290167
Branch name: Main Mall
Swift Code: BARCBWGX